Phil Ramone | 1934-2013: Famed record producer dies

Sunday

Mar 31, 2013 at 12:01 AMMar 31, 2013 at 2:21 PM

Phil Ramone, a prolific record producer and engineer who worked with some of the biggest stars of the last 50 years, including Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon, Billy Joel and Barbra Streisand, died yesterday in Manhattan. He was 79.

Phil Ramone, a prolific record producer and engineer who worked with some of the biggest stars of the last 50 years, including Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon, Billy Joel and Barbra Streisand, died yesterday in Manhattan. He was 79.His death was confirmed by his son Matthew. He did not specify a cause, but Ramone was reported to have been admitted to a Manhattan hospital in late February for treatment of an aortic aneurysm.

Ramone won 14 Grammy Awards, including producer of the year, nonclassical, in 1981, and three for album of the year, for Simon’s Still Crazy After All These Years in 1976; Joel’s 52nd Street in 1980; and Charles’ duets album, Genius Loves Company, in 2005.

He also produced music for television and film, winning an Emmy Award as the sound mixer for a 1973 special on CBS, Duke Ellington … We Love You Madly.